London

London is the capital and most populous city of both England and the United Kingdom. The city, standing on the River Thames in South East England, was founded by the Romans as Londinium in 43 AD, and it served as the capital of Britannia until the collapse of Roman rule. In 886, Alfred the Great refounded the city, and it rapidly grew after 950. After the Norman Conquest, the Normans built the Tower of London and the Palace of Westminster, and the institutions of central government began to gather in London during the 12th century. London became the capital of England, and it turned into a large metropolis as the result of urbanization during the Industrial Revolution; it also became a leading global city in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism, and transportation. London became the world's largest financial center, as well as a world cultural capital. In 2016, Greater London had a population of 8,787,892 people.